Memories Never Die
by IceBlade28
Summary: Kent attempts to confess his love to Lyn, but another has his heart . . . and they don’t even know it! After a terrible accident, Kent is forced to choose between love to a girl who saved his life, or loyalty to Lyndis . . .


Memories Never Die

Kent attempts to confess his love to Lyn, but another has his heart . . . and they don't even know it! After a terrible accident, Kent is forced to choose between love to a girl who saved his life, or loyalty to Lyndis . . .

BTW, this is my first story featuring most of the army you get in the game. Also, the first part seems a little too cheery, (it started out as a comedy) but I think the overall story is okay.

**Part One: It Takes Two To Pick A WildFlower**

It was a brief but relaxing lull in the fight against the minions of Nergal, and the cavaliers Kent and Sain were riding along a dusty path towards the encampment. Both were tired after the battle, but they had had plenty of time to recuperate, and now they were headed to the long lines of tents for some well-earned dinner.

Sain stared hard at his friend, Kent. Unbeknowest to Kent, Sain was watching his eyes flicker back and forth, and his stiff but formal pose while riding his mare Rosso. After a brief silence, Kent glanced at Sain and caught him staring.

"What?" he said, a little defensively.

"Oh, come on, Kent!" declared Sain. Kent stared at him, confused.

"What? Wait a minute!" he said hurriedly. "If this is anything to do with the women of this camp, or women at all, then I'm leaving you behind!" Sain rolled his eyes.

"Please, Kent. Give me a break. I wasn't going to mention a thing about the lovely ladies!" he lied. Kent looked relieved.

"Good." he said, and the two rode in silence for a while. They drew nearer and nearer to the camp, and finally Sain couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Kent, if you don't start doing a better job of your love life, you'll never woo the ladies! Particularly Lady Lyndis! If you want her to marry you-" Kent winced and gave the green knight a glare.

"Will you keep it down! And what makes you think I want Lady Lyndis as my _wife_!" Sain nudged his companion playfully.

"Kent, as your older, wiser companion, I feel it is my knightly duty to inform you-"

"Do not presume to know what I am thinking!" Kent thundered, but it only seemed to encourage Sain.

"C'mon Kent. It's obvious by the dumb look on your face that you're smitten with her! And sure," he added with a smirk. "You may not want her as your _wife_, but you surely want her as your partner!"

"Sain!" Kent began angrily, but then he hesitated. "Sain," he began more gently. "I know you're trying to help, but think of past times. Remember the fiasco with your scroll? Sir Sain On The Art Of Winning A Lady's Heart- do you recall how that little piece of helpful advice turned out?" Sain flinched.

"Ok, but-"

"And the time where I got Nils, _Nils_ to teach me to sing that love song! A child, practically teaching me how to flirt! Granted, that misadventure turned out alright, but somehow Lady Lyndis and I drifted apart after that evening, and-" Sain butted in, a strange look on his face.

"What _happened_ that night? I can't seem to remember- I was with Nils, watching you two through the bushes, and-" Kent looked shocked.

"You were _watching_!"

"Oops." said the cavalier, grinning. "Didn't mean to let that slip out." Kent didn't know whether or not to smack his friend around the head. Fortunately, he subdued his temper.

"Hey," said Sain, his brow furrowing. "Isn't that Rebecca? What's she doing?"

Kent peered at the place Sain was pointing to, and he saw the young green-haired archer blending skilfully into the bush. Rebecca glanced at him and paled.

"I'm not here!" she whispered furiously, shaking her head. "Don't tell Wil I'm here!" Sain grinned mischievously, and Kent just nodded.

"Sir Kent!" called Wil.

Kent bit his lip, trotting up to meet him and unintentionally placing the Pheraen almost right in front of Rebecca.

"Say, Sir Kent, have you seen Rebecca anywhere? I can't seem to find her, and there's something I wanted to ask her- Sir Sain, why are you laughing?" Kent turned to look at his companion, who was speedily reddening and shaking with supressed mirth. Kent gave him a quick but fiery stare, but it only made things worse.

"I'm sorry, Wil, but-" Sain laughed. "-Rebecca is-"

"-Cooking dinner tonight, remember?" said Kent hastily, not wanting to give away the archer's hiding spot. "She should be over by the Lord's tents, probably Lord Hector's. She is Ositian, isn't she?" Wil gazed at him, trying to see if he was lying. Kent smiled weakly, and Sain was slowly but surely swallowing his laughter.

"Okay," he said slowly. "Thanks for the advice. And actually, she's Pheraen, like me. That's why I'm looking for her." he turned to leave, but stopped.

"Hey, Sir Kent," he said. "After I'm finished searching for Rebecca, can you give me some advice on how to become a knight? It'd really be handy, and then I can talk to-"

"Hey, there's Rebecca! Over by the healer's tent!" cried Sain pointing to a slim, cute green-haired girl who had just exited the large tent. Wil barely glanced at the knights, simply turning and running for the healer's tent.

"Thanks Sir Sain!" he shouted as he charged down the hill towards the campsite. Kent eased his horse backwards to come alongside Sain.

"You saved my neck, Sain. I really didn't want to spend the evening answering hundreds of questions about the process of the Caelin Knighthood Ceremony. Phew!" Sain grinned smugly.

"Don't mention it. Say, where's our beautiful archeress?"

"Right here." said a voice in his ear, and Sain jumped.

"Hey! Woooaahh- waaaahhh! Oooff!" And with one clumsy move, the green cavalier fell off his horse. Rebecca laughed, her legs tightening around the tree branch that she hung from to keep herself from suffering the same fate. Kent smiled.

"Well, I'm impressed. How did you get up that tree without Wil seeing you?" Rebecca grinned, her leaf-coloured hair hanging around her as she hung upside down seemingly effortlessly. "Wil wouldn't see me unless I jumped on his head- he has no skill with hunting, particularly when it comes to spotting prey. By the way, thanks for keeping my location a secret." At that moment, her shirt came untucked, but Rebecca quickly grabbed it and retucked it, preventing an embarassing exposure.

"You're welcome." said Sain, who had gotten to his feet. Rebecca smiled again, but it turned into a frown. "But something's bugging me. Who was the girl with the green hair you pointed out, Sir Sain?" Sain looked a little sheepish.

"Well . . . ah . . . I kinda hope that Wil doesn't catch up with her." Rebecca tilted her head in confusion- it looked comical upside-down.

"Why? Who was it?" Sain bit his lip nervously.

"Um . . . heh. It's just that- I think I'm going to wind up pitying poor Nino. I hope Wil doesn't get that Jaffar guy too mad, or he might be in real trouble." Kent's eyes widened. Rebecca giggled and dropped nimbly from the tree, landing on the ground.

"Well," she said, removing her bow from the bush she had started in. "Thanks for everything. And Sir Sain, next time you call me beautiful, I'll-"

"Yes?" said Sain eagerly. Rebecca narrowed her eyes at him.

"Next time, I'll either have to half-garrote you with my bowstring or-" she paused, as Sain looked incredibly dispirited, staring at the ground. She gave the unfortunate knight a gentle smile. "Or maybe next time I'll have to reward you with a kiss." Sain blinked, barely able to believe his ears. "Did you hear that, Kent?" he enthused, turning to his companion. Kent smiled. "Next time she'll have to kiss me! Hey Rebecca!" he called, looking back to the spot where the Pheraen youth had been.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, all that was left was a half-footprint in the dust of the road, and the echo of a giggle. Sain gaped at the empty space for a while, and turned to his friend.

"You weren't smiling at me, were you? You were smiling because you saw her running off." Kent, laughing, nudged his horse into a steady trot and nodded. Sain shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't believe you, Kent. You-"

"-did the right thing. Do you really think Rebecca would have kissed you? Or even stuck around to do it?" Sain grinned unashamedly.

"It was worth a try." he said. Kent rolled his eyes. "Sain, you are absolutely incorrigible."

"Thanks." grinned the cavalier.

**Part Two: Of Stew And Sacaen's (Mostly Stew)**

Lyn, surprisingly, was dishing out the stew that night. Kent wandered over to collect his portion, keeping a weather eye out for Wil. He arrived and unthinkingly held out his bowl, his attention elsewhere.

"Here you go Kent." said the Sacaen practically. Kent turned to look at Lyn and his eyes widened.

"Oh . . . L-Lady Lyndis!" he blurted. "I didn't know you were serving the dinner! Please, let me-" Kent reached for the ladle, but Lyn just winked at him.

"Oh please, Kent. It's something to make me feel useful; I'm not one of those Lords that gets their servants or henchmen to do everything." She looked him in the eye, and somehow Kent knew he couldn't put it off any longer. He considered if he should see her that night.

"You know that. And Kent," Lyn added, "You're holding up the line." Kent jerked out of his trance-like state and saw the line of people behind him. He blinked, mumbled a thanks, and went over to sit on a log by the fire. Lyn smiled softly at the retreating form of the red cavalier, and then dipped her ladle to serve Guy, who was next in line.

The Caelin knight gazed down at his broth. It certainly looked appetizing, and yet the cavalier's mind wasn't on his growling stomach. He knew that he would have to get this difficulty of putting feelings into words out of the way for good, and the sooner the better. Guy soon came over and sat next to him, his green braid swinging behind him.

"Hey . . . Sir Kent?" The said knight nodded affirmation as Guy sat down next to him.

"Mind if I eat with you?" he asked. "There's kinda something I need to tell you . . ." Kent nodded again as the Sacaen myrmidon started to eat his broth. Kent took a sip from his own bowl; he knew what the myrmidon was like when it came to food. The broth tasted of beef, along with various vegetables. Kent smiled half-heartedly. At least the food was good. As for it being served by the woman he loved . . . Kent suddenly flushed red as his armour.

"Hey, what're you blushing for?" asked Guy.

"It's nothing." murmured Kent. Guy cleared his throat.

"Um . . . Sir Kent, in case you were wondering what happened to the scroll, I threw it away." Kent looked confused, then it hit him.

"Oh, the, um, the _scroll_? That's okay." Guy cheered up immensely.

"That's good then!" He picked up his spoon to finish eating his broth, only to find he had drained it on the first go.

"Grr . . . I thought I had more left! Oh well. I guess I'll go take the scraps from the pot." Guy left, and Kent was alone to ponder his feelings . . . and his broth.

Nino was sitting by Jaffar, happily eating some dinner, while the assassin stood nearby. His crimson eyes constantly watching, Jaffar's gaze intimidated all who came near. Wil observed that there was a very wide space between the twin ex-Black Fang members and the rest of the mercenaries. Not that he was looking for Nino- he was looking for Rebecca. Still.

"Oh c'mon, Jaffar! Eat something! You need to keep your strength up, you took such a beating from Moth- from Sonia. If it wasn't for Lord Eliwood's healers, you'd have-"

"Quiet." ordered Jaffar

"Please, Jaffar. If I can trust you with my pendant, if you're my best friend, then you'll listen! Please, eat!" pleaded Nino.

Jaffar seemed to ignore her. Finally, Nino heard the sound of crunching, and a few breadcrumbs drifted onto her lap. Nino grinned.

"Thank you Jaffar." she called. The Angel of Death turned to face the young girl, and Nino rubbed her eyes. Surely they were deceiving her- but they weren't.

Jaffar was eating a piece of travel rations, _smiling_. And happily, too.

"Thank you, Nino." he said quietly. "Thank you."

Wil watched the conversation between Jaffar and Nino with disinterest, looking about himself as though he could catch a glimpse of that frustratingly elusive archer. Eventually, Wil gave up and sat dejectedly on the seat next to Sain.

"Why so glum, Wil?" he asked. Wil looked at him, and then his stomach gurgled loudly. Sain smirked.

"Sound a bit hungry to me; you'd better hurry. Last I saw, that myrmidon in the blue was headed over for another serving- you'd better hurry if you want dinner!" Wil jerked his head up and saw Guy leave Kent from his seat and start towards the serving area. The archer got up and ran doggedly towards Lyn, just manging to beat Guy.

"My, Wil." said Lyn, surprised. "You've certainly been running hard. Why the rush?"

"Just . . . food . . . Rebecca . . . please . . . hungry . . . food . . ." he spluttered. Lyn hid a smile.

"You're lucky- here's the last of it." she poured the rest into a bowl and set it down next to the gasping archer. "Sorry about that, Guy." she said to the swordsman. "But it's only his first helping- you've had five!"

"It wasn't five; it was four." he grumbled as Lyn disappeared into some nearby bushes; presumably to wash up.

Kent leaned against the log, his meal forgotten. He watched his liege disappear into some nearby bushes, biting his lip. Surely this would be a good time for him to get this out of the way, when they were alone . . . Kent frowned. They would be a bit too close to camp for his comfort; his feelings would have to wait. Again, he admitted grudgingly. He could only wait so long.

While his heart longed for Lady Lyndis, there was one other. He was a knight, sworn to Caelin and, therefore, sworn to the Lady of Caelin. But still, buried beneath his chivalry, knightly training, and even his loyalty, a seed had taken root. Perhaps he would have more luck with _her_. Perhaps things would go worse, he confessed. After all, she had saved his life at one time, so he owed her his own life at least . . . Kent shook his head. He needed some time to be alone. Now.

Sain looked up from his conversation with Lowen in time to see Kent leave the place where he was eating and disappear into the trees. He narrowed his eyes. Leaving the camp suddenly, and for no apparant reason, was definitely not something Kent would normally do . . . Wordlessly, Sain got up and followed his partner into the forest.

**Part Three: Private Memories And Revelations**

Kent wandered aimlessly into the forest, not caring about anything for once in his life. In what seemed to be a cruel twist of fate,the knight had walked in a large semicircle, and eventually came atop a ridge overlooking the camp. Figuring he had enough privacy, the Crimson Shield took his seat on a rock, listening to a nearby river splash. Kent watched the camp and soon spotted a strange figure in the skies: one of the three pegasus sisters. Fiora, judging by her long, light green hair and padded armour. Landing near the Lord's tent, the rider entered. Soon after, a large blue figure came out of a tent and said something inaudible. Lord Hector, he figured. Soon, the entire camp was like an ant's nest, with people running everywhere. The cavalier frowned slightly, then remembered why he was up there. His eyes misted over as he recalled what had happened one long-ago summer night . . .

_Kent drew his sword, his hands shaking surprisingly. His horse had bolted, and it was him and the seven bandits: Six brigands and an archer._

"_It's a Caelin knight!" cried one._

"_Kill him!" cried another. Kent whirled his sword defensively; in the mist it appeared as though there were ten of the red armoured cavalier. 'Where on earth is Sain?' he thought. The brigands charged._

_Kent let himself go, he only dimly heard the screams of the brigands. He gritted his teeth as an axe bounced off his armour, causing his vision to swim. He jerked out his sword instinctively, and the figure fell to the ground. He nimbly dodged another axe, coming at him like a scythe. He stabbed the figure savagely- another one down. 'I might actually survive.' thought Kent, gasping for breath._

_Then, overwhelming pain. The cavalier gazed at his shoulder and saw an arrow shaft poking straight through it. How? The armour, surely . . . Kent turned and saw the archer load another arrow into his bow. With strength born of desperation, the cavalier lunged at the archer, who didn't even move, instead releasing the arrow. It flew awkwardly, and thudded into the dirt next to Kent's head. The bandit cursed, loading his bow again. This time, he would not miss._

_Out of the blue, a green-cloaked figure soared from the bushes nearby in a tremendous leap, crashing right into the assailant. After a brief struggle, the green figure stabbed the bowman in the heart, and he lay dead._

Kent fingered the patch on his armour where his scar was, and his eyes glazed once again as he returned to his revierie.

"Everyone, get your things! We're under attack!" bellowed Hector, grasping his Wolf Beil. "Kaira, over here!"

The tactician hurried over. Hector motioned to her and looked her hard in the eye.

"Are you ready, Kaira? I know things have been hard, but we need you. This army needs your guidance." Kaira nodded, biting her lip. Hector noticed this and questioned it.

"Lyn's gone." she blurted out. "And Kent and Sain, her guards, are nowhere to be seen either." Hector stood in shock.

"Hector, hurry!" came Eliwood's yell. "Things are heating up over here!"

"I think I know where they are, or at least where they might be." Kaira pleaded. Hector was torn. "Please." begged the female tactician.

"Very well. Hurry." said the Lord. Kaira was hurtling into the brush before the sentence was finished.

"Kent! Lyn! Sain!" she cried as she charged through tree branches, ignoring the pain as the wood splintered and snapped against her.

_Kent's vision swam, and he knew he would soon lose consciousness. The knight's saviour ran over to him, and her face was clear for a second before he blacked out._

"_Kent! No!" she wept._

"_Kaira . . ." he breathed, before collapsing._

"_Kent! Please, no! Not now . . . Lyn! Help me!" she cried._

Kent blinked as the memory faded away. Shaking his head, he took one look at the battle below, before starting to rise, but he halted. A Druid was doing something funny with a curly staff, pointing at him . . . and Kent sat down again, thinking on his memory. A hand suddenly prodded him in the back. Like lightning, Kent unsheathed his sword.

"_Kaira!_" he bellowed as he swung his weapon with all the strength he had.

Lyn jerked her weapon out instinctively, and just in time. The sword smashed into the half-out Mani Katti, knocking it from Lyn's hand with a jarring blow. Her eyes were wide, and a tear slipped from her eye.

"Kent . . ." she whispered, tears clouding her vision. Kent looked his Lord in the eye, and what Lyn saw scared her.

"Kent, please . . . what's wrong?" The cavalier heard nothing, however, but the beating of his heart. He saw nothing but the leader of the bandits, who had escaped before Kent could deal him justice. Lyn gazed into the eyes of her protector, the one she loved. A red haze clouded his pupils. "Kent, don't! It's me, Lyndis! Your Lady!" But her plea's fell on deaf ears. Kent smoothly tripped the Sacaen with one move, and swung hard at her neck. Lyn rolled aside and scrambled up, tears streaming down her face. Kent removed his sword from the dirt, walking calmly towards Lyn.

"You will die." he said monotonously, raising his sword.

Out of the blue, Sain hurtled through the bushes to save his liege.

"Lady Lyndis!" he shouted, flying through the air. Kent turned to face him, bringing up his sword. Sain blinked in mid-air.

"What! Kent! . . . Oooff!" Sain smashed into Kent, and the pair of cavaliers collided with a tree. Sain rolled off unharmed, but Kent hit his head rather viciously against the trunk, and he fell without a word. Sain got up, staring at his companion's unconscious form.

"Milady Lyn," he said, helping his Lord to her feet. "What . . . no, _how_ did this happen? Kent would never . . . he loves you with all his heart!" Lyn got to her feet, staring at the still form of Kent. Sain followed her gaze, and gasped.

Kent was getting back up, and obviously intent on sending his best friend and his love to an early grave.

"Impossible." breathed Sain. Kent staggered over, blood congealing on his forehead. Hie eyes were a fiercer red than ever before, and he grabbed his sword.

"Kent . . ." whimpered Lyn. The Crimson Shield shuddered, and stared at the sword in his hand.

"No." he whispered, horrified. The sword slipped from his nerveless hands and shattered on the ground.

"Milady Lyndis . . . I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me . . ." Kent started towards her, his face as though his soul had been removed in the most painful way possible. Lyn took a step back, sobbing.

"I beg your forgiveness, Lady Lyndis. Please, don't-" Kent said, his voice breaking. Lyn turned and ran from her protector, her weeping audible even as she fled.

"No . . ." said Kent, and he fell to his knees in disgrace. He turned to his companion, who was white as a ghost. "Sain," he said at last. "What happened? I lost control. It was like I was watching from afar. I was powerless in my own body." The green cavalier was backing up.

"I'm sorry, partner, but I think its best if I leave you alone for a while." he explained. Kent was mortified at the thought. "Sain, don't leave me. Please. What if . . ." he choked on the words.

"What if it happens again?" Sain was backing up slowly, never taking his eyes off Kent. "Sain," he pleaded, but it was too late. The Green Lance was sprinting down the track. Kent could only sit on the hill in despair, letting his grief out. He watched the battle below with some disconnectedness, barely noticing when Kaira showed up.

"Kent! There you are! I need you- haven't you seen or heard what's . . ." Breathless, the tactician stopped when she saw the look on the cavalier's face.

"I can't fight now." said Kent, his voice thick with sorrow. "I . . . I nearly . . . I nearly _killed_ my Lady . . . I nearly killed my love. My . . . Lyndis. Sain, my best friend, had to knock me unconscious to stop me, but somehow I kept going. Look at my sword." Kaira looked where he was pointing and saw the fine steel sword in several pieces. The shocked tactician stood there, mouth agape. Kent rose to look at her, and Kaira felt for him more strongly then than she had ever, in her life.

"I don't know what to do, Kaira." he confessed. "You saved my life, remember? Way back when . . . and you have my love. But I am sworn to one woman, and to protect her with my life." Kaira placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, but Kent brushed it away. He walked over and picked up the fallen Mani Katti, wiping the mud from its blade.

"No marking whatsoever . . . unlike Lyndis . . ." he remarked bitterly. Kent strode over to the tactician.

"Take it, and return it to her." he commanded. Kaira nodded fearfully, and placed the sword in her pack. "What about you?"

"I'll be right behind you, I'll just find Sain. And then I need to see Lady Lyndis, to offer some kind of explanation, even if its an unbelievable one. It's just . . ." Kaira frowned. "Just what?"

"It's just . . . I don't know if I have the courage to do so." he finished. Kaira touched his cheek in a reassuring manner, and bounded down the trail.

"You do, Kent." she said. "You do. You have the courage. I know."

Kent stayed on the ridge until night fell, and he gazed at the stars until dawn.

Next edition: Memories Never Die, Part Two! Hope you liked the first one . . . 


End file.
